World's End Umbrella
by GraceLeeStories
Summary: Shyla,is an orphan living in a strange,ruin place where a huge umbrella covers for miles. The only thing she has one thing left of her parents,is a picture book her mother gave her before passing away,one that speaks of a land of beautiful paradise.
1. Chapter 1

NOTE: HEY GUYS! So me and Rachel got together after hearing the Vocaloid's song "World's End Umbrella" (By Haru) we both decided it would be an amazing story! So I wrote this first chapter, it's basically explaining everything, but It's very important not to miss this chapter. :) DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT!

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*!This is A fictional story based off the Vocaloid song "World's End Umbrella" composed by Hachi and The Southern Research Institute©

_'The great umbrella covering World's End._

_A tower is built in the center, a mass of machinery that props it up._

_As one would expect, the villages below get no sun_

_and are tormented by leaks called 'Rain'._

_But the people do not question._

_For it is common._

_It means nothing._

_It is simply ' Law'._

*~*~*Chapter 1*~*~

A fake paradise – That's what we lived in.

Paradise isn't even the right word; it's more like a fake promise, one that was all along supposed to be broken.

Our parents came to this world after the great attacks on all the other villages, because there was nowhere else to go, but the cursed, strange, small town everyone called, 'World's End'. The place where the sun didn't exist, a place where it never stops raining or at least drizzling, a place where the clouds are constantly hovering above Kasa for miles. I have never seen the sun, or stars, or the moon, or the bright blue sky my mother talked so often about. Nor have I ever seen any clouds either then dark and light gray emotionless ones.

Everyone blames it on Kasa. The Umbrella in the center of World's End. Kasa is what blocks out everything. A huge tower of machinery made out of gears, pipes and twisting stair cases holds Kasa up at the top. She covers everything for miles, promising all of us no hope of escape.

Though few people live here, the enemy doesn't dare try to attack such a deeply cursed place, and for that reason, at least I am grateful for her protection.

It's the war that took my father, and left my mother bed ridden to the point where she joined him. I could see an image of them waiting for me, I wanted to join them too and see their warming smiles again, but I couldn't leave yet, knowing that there is still something inside of me that I need to do.

Before mother passed away she told me, _'Shyla, I want you to find our world again. You'll be known forever as the girl who brought peace to a place of fear.' _When I told her such a place didn't exist, she gave me a picture book. A book full of colors and joy and a sun and flowers! She said, _'There can't be something as beautiful as this only in story books. Where do you think the artist got his ideas to paint it? Where do you think he got his colors?' _She was right. In World's End all our colors where bland, simple, dark and faded, but the colors in this book where bright, vivid and carried so much zeal energy. And that's when I begin to memorize the pictures in that book, that's when I started asking questions.

Everyone in World's End never questioned, never wondered and never thought 'What If?'. We follow 'laws' without knowing who gave them. Who was in charge? Why do we have to follow these laws? No one ever thinks that way. No one besides me and my best friend Kapo.

Kapo lived next door to me ever since we were born here at World's End. His parents knew my parents before they both passed and there all like family to me. Being an orphan they had asked to take me in, but I declined knowing another mouth to feed would be a bother. So I was offered by the widow Mrs. Liana to work on her farm, as pay I would get food and a warm place to sleep. Mrs. Liana spoke much of the life before World's End and would sometimes tell me secrets or about events that they would have. It made me wish I could have been there to see it. I would ask her some of my questions, like, 'Why can no one leave World's End?'. She told me many people had tried to run away or escape, but no one has ever seen them again. And every time a person left you could tell, because a huge storm would come, causing everyone in World's End to suffer a famine. She told me how they once all wanted to leave all together, but then word got out that the enemy had taken over all the land and we would never be safe anywhere else. But almost always her answer to me was 'Because it is Law' and without any reason, we HAD to follow it. She was a nice older woman, with a good head on her shoulders, so I could always take her word for it.

Working on the farm was tough. There was a whole 14 hours work of things to do every day, and that's without braking for meals.

I imagined it would be a lot easier if our village wasn't so unpopulated, but I got to work with Kapo everyday out in the fields and with the animals so I guess it wasn't all that bad. Mrs. Liana's farm was the only one at World's End, it was are only food supply, so I was proud to help out along with all the others.

After words Kapo and I would sit around the camp fire with his parents, or we would sneak off and read my picture story book and he'd tell me his ideas and what he thought about the world before ours. We would both ask questions and try to give our best answers, though in the end none of us knew more than the other.

But Kapo believed in my mother's destiny for me. He told me that one day I would bring a new light to this world, and at that point I believed in him also. One day we would both go to Kasa's tower, To the World's End umbrella, and we would find the place that existed only in story books, because that's what we believed, that's what we looked forward to - The paradise we were truly promised.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

I awoke. I could assume from the sound of chirping brids that it was morning. I made myself get up and check the weary sky from my tiny bedroom window to be sure...yes, it was in fact, another misty eyed looking morning at Worlds' End.

I yawned, and pulled the straws of hay that was stuck in my hair that I always got from my shabby little bed. It was all I really ever knew for a bed, so, that was true comfort, as far as I was concerned. I tried to gather my wits about me, and remember what I was supposed to be doing. I made my way out of my bedroom, and could tell that the fire wasn't started yet. I was up before Mrs. Liana...as usual. So, that meant I would tend to starting out our meager breakfast. I went to fetch water for the kettle, still blinking the sleep away, trying to convince myself I wasn't tired.

While fetching the water, I smiled. I was remembering the dream I had the night before...a beautiful dream...about me and Kapo...and paradise. It seemed so real, so close, so believable...the colors, the scenery...everything was too good to be true. Something felt different today, something in the air. A soft, gentle, yet slightly mysterious wind blew through my hair and onto my face. I looked up, and began to feel the cold, pelting raindrops on my skin. I shivered. The rain was sparse, and less dense, thankfully. I still had my dream of paradise on my mind, and was broken from my reverie by a gentle boyish laugh.

"What are you thinking about?" Kapo said, leaning towards me from the other side of the picket fence. He was grinning. I must've looked ridiculous.

"Oh, Kapo!" I said, dropping the pail of water for the kettle. "I had the most beautiful dream in my entire life last night!" I said, catching my breath.

"You said that yesterday morning as well." Kapo reminded me, still grinning.

"I did? Oh...I did." He continued laughing at me, but not in an insulting way.

"Well, I was hoping you'd be up this early, because I happened to have a marvelous dream last night myself, and..." he said, hopping over the fence, and holding his old "poor boy" fashioned cap onto his head all the while "...thought you should know about it." He finished, joining up with me and stooping to grab the pail of water by my side. I almost squealed with excitement, and then narrowed my eyes and studied him,

"Kapo, what about your chores?" I asked.

"Ah, it's much earlier, haven't you noticed?" He said. I squinted upwards, trying to block the drops from hitting my eyes, the rain still pelting a bit on my skin. "You know...it's funny, Kapo...I can't tell anymore. I can't tell if it's early or late just by looking up. Is it just me or are things seeming more..."

"Darker, dimmer and duller than usual?" He completed for me, and then brushed by my shoulder, with the pail of water.

"Why, yes!" I said, turning to follow him.

"Shyla...I think it is. I think things are slowly but surely getting worse...or, we are getting worse, or...I don't know." Kapo said, pouring some of the water from the pail into Mrs. Liana's kettle, sounding a bit perplexed. "These dreams!" He suddenly burst out, in an agitated manner. "Shyla, I love them, and they're wonderful. The dreams you have, the dreams I have. But they are making our dull reality even worse and more drudgery, more misery to live through! We're making things worse for ourselves." he said, looking at me intensely. I dropped my gaze to my hands, and played with my fingers, tears for some reason wanting to sprout from my eyes.

"Kapo, what are you saying?" I blurted out. "Are you saying we need to give up on our dream? Of going to Kasa's tower, of finding that beautiful paradise?" I swallowed. Kapo didn't say anything for a moment, but then finally spoke, "I'm just restless. Forgive me for saying that. Of course, we'll make our dream come true, Shyla." He said, smiling cheerfully now. "Here you go." He said, handing me the kettle over. "Thank you, Kapo." I said, he followed behind me into Mrs. Liana's house, who we could hear was stirring in her bedroom.

"Oh, I forgot about firewood..." I said depressed.

"Don't worry Shyla, I'll get some for you." Kapo said, and before I could object and tell my silly wonderful best friend I could manage myself, he was out the door to fetch it for me. I sighed happily. It was so nice to have Kapo around. I sometimes imagined life without Kapo. I shuddered. That would be a terrible life! I would hate that! Couldn't live without him! Well, I'm sure I could live without him, but after awhile, I just wouldn't want to live anymore. My heart beat faster when I admitted this within. No, he was just my best friend, and I would never have to worry about losing him anyway, and since..."Shyla?" I heard Mrs. Liana call my name, interrupting my thought process. I jumped, unexpectedly. "What is it with me this morning?" I blurted out loud to myself. "Yes ma'am! I'm right here Mrs. Liana, up bright and early!" I called back, with a slightly strained voice.

She entered into the main room. "Are you alright, child?" Mrs. Liana asked, when she saw my face.

"Hm? Oh yes, perfectly." I said.

"You look a little pale." She observed. I glanced furtively back and forth, furrowing my brow.

"As if anyone ever has any color in their cheeks at Worlds' End." I said, laughingly under my breath.

"Well...you usually do, Shyla, when you're with that Kapo boy." Liana said, teasingly, while I shook my head and rolled my eyes slightly. But to be honest, it was true...to some extent. Growing up with Kapo as my only friend, essentially, what else could you expect from my heart, now? But, I was sure Kapo would never think of me that way.

"What are you thinking about?" Liana asked, the corner of her mouth breaking into a smirk.

"Oh...hmm?" I answered, hazily.

"Is there something on your mind you want to talk to me about? You seem very deep in thought, Shyla." She said, reaching for a harvest bowl.

"Oh, well...I suppose I am." I admitted, turning my eyes to the foggy window next to me. I then began thinking about my age old question about the sun, the moon...colors. "Liana, do you think that anyone will ever go to Kasa's tower?" I got the courage to ask, tracing my finger on the window pane.

"What? Why would you ask me that?" She responded, surprised.

"I don't know...but, do you think that anyone will?" I pressed.

"No, no I don't." She responded, in an almost agitated manner, and walked across the room to fetch a large spoon for stirring.

"Is it wrong to even-"

"Yes, Shyla. You must never entertain such wild, unkempt thoughts." Liana said, her voice timid. I should've known never to bring something up like that in front of her. Unknown, mysterious things always had a way of bothering Mrs. Liana. It unsettled her. Actually, it unsettled everybody in Worlds' End. Everyone, that is, except for me and Kapo, respectively. And I couldn't understand it.

"But, Liana, surely someone has thought of that before..." I said, turning to face her. She had her back to me, stirring up breakfast. She hummed a little nervously.

"Shyla, there are some things we must never know and must never think about." She finally responded.

"Why?" I asked, curiously.

"You mustn't even ask why. If you don't know, there is a reason why you don't know. Curiosity is a dangerous thing. It is better to keep your mind on chores, and useful things. Not silly, ridiculous dreams." Liana said tersely. I sighed. Well, I had given up hope of her understanding me long ago. Mrs. Liana was just like everyone else. Arguing never made things better, either. That is why I was so glad, so very glad to have Kapo as a friend. Just thinking about him made me smile. Liana must never know that Kapo and I entertained ourselves and told ourselves we would go to Kasa's tower one day. If she knew, she might lock me up in my room and never let me out! It was practically forbidden enough as it was to even imagine such a thing, so of course she would do anything in her power to keep me from going there. And Kapo, too. However, it wasn't because Mrs. Liana hated me or Kapo that she was so against the idea - it was only because she was concerned about me, and didn't want anything to happen to me. I knew that. But at times like this, it just baffled and frustrated me. Why must EVERYONE in Worlds' End be so naive, and dimwitted? And not believe in anything? And constantly fear the unknown? Where was the sense of adventure and exploration? Kapo and I were the only ones. We couldn't stand to live in this haze forever, like the rest had, for years. We would be the first ones to visit Worlds' End umbrella someday, and then, we would show them, somehow. There had to be something there. I wanted Kapo to hurry up with the firewood, he could tell me his dream, and I could tell him mine, and maybe, just maybe, he might want to set out to Kasa's Tower. My heartbeat quickened. The thought for the first time felt daunting and scary. But the nervousness fluttered away as soon as Kapo burst into the house.

"Here you go, Shyla, I found some extra in our stack, it's a little wet, but it'll do-OH, top O' the morning to you, Mrs. Liana," Kapo said grinning, looking up from stack of firewood he had in his hands to Mrs. Liana.

"Goodmorning Kapo, you're up early, and bringing us extra firewood? How thoughtful." Mrs. Liana said, while Kapo got down on his hands and knees and helped me arrange the logs for the fire.

"Well, what did you dream about, Kapo? You didn't tell me yet!" I whispered to him while we put the logs in place.

"Well, silly, you tell me yours' first." He whispered back.

"Kapo, that's not fair, I told you mine first yesterday!" Kapo raised his eyebrow

"I didn't even recall having dreamed anything yesterday, so of course you told me yours first yesterday, okay! I had nothing to tell! So. Move your hand out of the way, you'll get burned. Yes. Anyway, ladies first!" He said, smirking an impish face back to me.

"Ugh, fine!" I said, trying not to smile, as I was being defeated, but I couldn't help it.

"What are you two going on about?" Mrs. Liana asked, humming.

"Nothing!" We said in unison. "Well, so, it was that you and I set off on our journey and..." Kapo absently pulled a piece of straw from my hair, and tossed it onto the firewood. "Well, when we got to the tower! The inside of the tower was...Oh, I'd have to draw it out for you, it was so intriguing!" I said, catching my breath.

"Hm, well, I highly doubt it'll be a beautiful, intriguing place in real life. Not to rain on your parade. But I'm more keen on paradise looking intriguing, and not Kasa's tower." Kapo said.

"Ha! Well, you keep thinking that, but I think it'll be just like in this dream, it felt so real!" I said dreamily.

"Yes, it felt so real and thennnn... you woke up!" Kapo said, getting a spark to catch fire. I glared at Kapo. He smiled. I laughed. He laughed. And then his father had to spoil everything and call his name.

"I'll see you later Shyla!" He said, hopping up. "Good day, Mrs. Liana!" Kapo said.

"But Kapo!" I frowned, getting up. "Kapo, wait...your dream! Tell it to me!" I said, tugging on his arm.

"Haha, Shyla, not now, it's too long, I'll tell you later." He said, shaking my arm off, clutching his cap and jumping over the picket fence to his house. The wind picked up, and breezily sent his hat flying back, smacking me in the face, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Kapo!" I called out, climbing up the fence a bit, gripping the posts "Your...hat." he couldn't hear me anymore. I plopped it on my head, and watched him until he was out of sight. I sighed, leaning on the fence with my chin resting in my cupped hands. "Oh, Kapo, you silly boy...hmph!" I said, still annoyed he didn't tell me any of his dream. "Meanie!" I stuck my tongue out, and threw his hat over the fence. And then it started pouring rain. Cold, icy, shivering rain. "Oooh!" I let out, shaking, leaning more onto the fence as I tried to climb down, when a fence board plank came loose and sent me tumbling to the ground. Just my luck.

"Shyla! What are you doing? Come back inside and eat some gruel." Mrs. Liana called from the house.

"Coming!" I shouted back. Ouch. I groggily picked myself up, slightly shaken, and was aghast at the extent of damage I inflicted upon the picket fence. This would mean a lot more work for me and Kapo to do this week. Fence repairs. Great.

I entered the house drenching wet and muddy, and proceeded to eat my breakfast. "What were you two quarreling about?" Mrs. Liana asked. I blinked. "Nothing...nothing at all." And then we finished the remainder of our meal in silence.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Now I've got you." I said while cornering up the last chicken. I had been chasing them around this morning. Usually we would let them graze, but a storm was coming, according to the wise old man who lived next door.

"Now Clucky...don't...move..." I sneaked in closer, my hands ready to grap the domestic animal, I jumped for it and it ran. After my failed attempt I heard Kapo laughing at me from behind. I sat on the ground, pouting, also embarrassed from my fall.

"Are you just going to stand there laughing at me or help out?"

He finished his laugh and replied, "Nah. I'm good, I'll just watch you chase Clucky around in circles and a then around the fifth time you fall I'll help you."

I love the way he makes it sound like I'm going to fall five more times. I groaned and patted the hay and dirt off of myself, I stood, holding myself in a prideful manner, though I had no pride to hold so I'm not too sure how I looked. I probably looked like a crazy girl chasing a chicken around. I looked around for Clucky but he was nowhere in sight. Where had he gone? Suddenly a new thought came to my mind.

"Oh yeah, Kapo."

I sparked an interest. "Hm?"

"You left your hat here, or...rather you dropped it..."

His face lit up. "Oh really! I had been looking for it everywhere. Well...that's a relief." He said, letting out a sigh.

"I have it right inside. And I'll give it to you if you promise to help me catch Clucky…" I said holding out the 'y', blinking my eye lashes and trying to look adorable.

Kapo didn't look that happy, he actually looked depressed, he only said, "Sure." and walked towards the chicken.

A smile curved up, I felt victories! We both cornered Clucky again and this time Kapo caught him with one quick movement. He gave him to me and I took him back to the coop. After locking it up, Kapo coughed. "Ahem...my hat?"

I laughed and led him into Liana's house where his hat was sitting quietly on the kitchen table. Kapo took his prized possession and placed it back, firmly on his head. I could hear Liana in the other room, "Did you catch'em?"

"Kapo got him for me!" I yelled back. She was dusting off the rooms, going in and out of them, sending dust and dirt in the air. Kapo and I had to go back outside to breath.

"Oh that reminds me!" Mrs. Liana said coming up to us. "The fence has broken over there." She pointed to the fence I broke trying to return Kapo's hat yesterday. "Three planks. Do you think you two could cut down one of the smaller trees and fix it up for me?"

Kapo nodded accepting the job with much pleasure and I moaned just agreeing because I could do it with Kapo. I just realized, I wouldn't do a lot of work around here if it wasn't for Kapo.

I don't know why, but chores where starting to be a pain when I knew paradise existed, right, at the top of that tower...

I was SO glad Kapo was here! I can't even imagine cutting down these trees by myself.

We traveled more towards the outskirts of town, the trees where smaller and Kapo and I could talk alone, in peace. A soft fog hovered around our feet and it was drizzling rain. It sounded very peaceful, very quiet, almost too quiet.

I hadn't said much to Kapo, I just let the silence speak for us. We had a cutting system, Kapo cut; I would pick up the pieces of wood. We could have just taken three thick pieces and gone back to fix the fence, but Kapo thought he could cut more pieces to use for fire wood. I just wanted to finish the fence and get it over with. I wanted to get done with all of my duties and run to Kasa. I never understood why Kapo didn't. Well, he has a family here, and he gets along well with the other adults. I never really thought about it, but maybe Kapo doesn't really want to go. Maybe that's why he never just wakes me up, in the middle of the night, with a smile on his face, telling me to run away with him. That's the way I always imagined he'd do it. For some reason I guess I never thought, that maybe I should ask him to come with me, instead of the other way around. Kapo had reasons to stay, who was I to take those reasons from him?

Suddenly I became very disheartened. "Hey Kapo…?" I let it out silently, but it was already so deathly quiet, he could pick it up.

We were standing next to another small tree, he took a minute to look at me, and then he began to cut the tree with the axe Liana gave him. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Well…I never thought about it, but I forgot to ask you if you really want to even go with me to Kasa's tower." He stopped cutting, but I kept going. "I mean, what about your family? I know your parents love you very much, everyone in World's End does. I just don't want to take you away from all this. Maybe _this_ is your paradise, just being with the people you love." After getting it out, I wondered if I'd be okay going to Kasa alone. If it's what Kapo really wanted I'm sure I could, but I didn't understand why waiting for his answer almost made me want to cry.

He seemed to ponder on it, when he looked back over at me he said, "Shyla, are you asking me if I want to stay?"

I fumbled with my hands, nervously. "I'm asking you if you want to_ go_." What Kapo did next surprised me: He dropped his axe, put both of his hands on my shoulders and positioned me to look right at him. "Of course I want to go. Your acting as if you think this place is where I want to really live. Sure I'll miss my mother and my father, but I'll always remember their love for me and we can always come back for them so I'm not worried about that. Besides, I don't think you realize that I don't care where I go as long as you go with me. Shyla, you're my paradise."

I flushed, but continued to listen to his words, "If we find the legendary place your mother spoke of, and we will, I wouldn't even be able to tell the difference between being here with you, and being there with you. So yes I do want to go, but what I'm trying to say is I'll go anywhere as long as it's with you." He smiled sweetly upon me, causing my heart to beat franticly. Suddenly the rain came down harder, soiling the moment. I used my hands as an umbrella, but that didn't really block out the rain.

Kapo and I took cover under a large tree, the wise man I spoke of earlier had told me to never do this, but any other sort of shelter was at least two miles away, and by now it was raining really hard. I took a moment to stare down at Kapo who was sitting next to me, taking deep breaths in. I wanted to place my hand on his head, I almost did, but he moved, causing me to shoot my hand back up.

What exactly was I thinking? Why could I suddenly not find enough air to breath in? My hand moved without me even thinking. What would have happened if I hadn't stopped it? Was this really not that big of deal? If it wasn't why did it feel like it was? All I knew is that maybe if I changed the subject I could at least breath a lot easier.

"Uh…" I started but, when Kapo looked up at me the last things he said came back to me. "Thank you…I'm glad you want to go." I said, looking away.

Kapo only blushed and nodded. I brought up yesterdays question that was never answered. "What was your dream like Kapo?"

"Oh yeah. Well…I remember seeing these brightly colored birds and there was a ray of shine coming from the sky, there was a variety of different flowers around me, I grabbed only one, a yellow one I think, and I made my way to this old building that looked like a church. I took a moment to look around, the stain glass was breath taking and every window was different. A bell rang and then I turn around and I see a figure of this girl and then I woke up."

Things where silent for a moment as I waiting for his dream to sink in. A girl? Was it me? I was the only one going with him, but it's not like dreams see into the future.

"Who do you think the girl was?"

Kapo laughed, sending my butterflies flying. He didn't answer me and although I was upset I couldn't help but laugh too. "What?" He shook his head, ignoring my question again, the rain had lightend up, Kapo and I said a few more things to each other, cut a few more trees then headed back towards town.

"Hey Kapo there's supposed to be a storm coming soon right?" I asked.

"Yeah, you can stay with me if you'd like."

I blushed, "N-no that's okay! I don't want to leave Mrs. Liana alone." Thunder roared. It sent a flock of ravens into the sky. I wished I was a bird so I could fly to Kasa, or out of World's End.

"Well I could always come over there to you, or both you and Liana cane come to my house." Kapo offered.

"Well I could ask her…Mrs. Liana is stubborn though, she likes storms, she likes to sit out on the porch and watch them, It'd be a miracle to even get her inside, and I don't want to leave her alone. But for the sake of my best friend's worry, I will ask her." Kapo smiled and repeated 'thank you's over and over again.

After a few minutes of walking and the town was in view I thought of something else to ask him, "Hey Kapo what do you want to be when you get older?"

The question appeared odd to him, but he answered honestly, "I'm not exactly sure, but I think I'd like being a doctor or something. Something where I can help people out, or be in the army and fight against the attacks the way your father did. So I can protect the people I love."

I thought that a doctor would be perfect for Kapo, but I'd be kinda worried if my best friend started going off to wars. "Years before when I asked you this same question, you said you wanted to be a painter and now you want to be a doctor?"

He laughed, "Well, I still want to be a painter, I just don't think I have that much talent for it."

I shook my head. "No. I disagree. I've seen some of the drawings you hide away under your bed, there very good."

Kapo raised an eye brow at me, "When have you ever been in my room, much less snooping around without me there?"

I laughed, "Your mom said I could wait inside, but I went snooping around and went into your room. I only saw like one or three of your sketches, but I loved-"

Everything within me had frozen. I couldn't believe what I was staring at. Or what I wasn't staring at. How can such a thing be possible?

"Loved…what?" Kapo asked.

I pointed forward, and Kapo followed my gaze to a town full of nothing, but air. The animals where gone, the people usually working where gone. Where was everyone?

I dropped the wood and axe and Kapo and I ran deeper into the settlement, not seeing anyone or thing. Kapo went for his house, while I ran into Liana's.

"Liana!" I called for her, but she didn't answer. I searched everywhere, she and none of the farm animals where in sight. I was starting to freak out. Thunder broke again, sending rain pouring down.

When I stepped outside I could barely stand. Where was Kapo? I started to cry. Was his family gone?

I inched my way over to his house, to see he was on his knees on the floor to his living room. "Kapo…?" I called out.

"They're gone."

At his words I started to shake. Gone where? Where exactly did everyone go? What happened?

And why were Kapo and I the only ones left?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I stood there in a whirlwind of confusion for what seemed like hours, trying to process everything. Kapo was breathing heavily, trying to hold back tears, I could tell. I tried to form words in my mouth, but couldn't find any. I was at a total loss for words, and I couldn't feel any emotion.

Kapo looked up at me, fear in his eyes, "Mrs. Liana is gone too." he said, but it wasn't a question. I nodded yes. "They're gone!" He bursted out.

I flinched sympathetically. "Kapo, surely their must be some explanation for all of this-" I said, finally finding my voice.

"No, Shyla, listen to me - their clothes, their belongings...everything is gone. They left for a reason, but why...why without..." Kapo said dropping off, his voice straining terribly.

"It's going to be alright, Kapo." I said somewhat reassuringly, putting my hand on his shoulder.

"Shyla... I wish I could feel that way, but I know, in the pit of my heart, it's not alright. Something has happened, or...or something is going to happen, I know it, I know it!" He said, running his fingers through his hair in agitation. For some reason, I still could not feel any emotion. I was too shocked to cry, I felt strangely calm. But the more I thought about how perfectly calm I was, the less calm I began to feel. I looked around the room, and the bare emptiness began to dawn on me. I couldn't think of an explanation as to what would cause an entire village to get up and leave without any apparent reason. I tried to think of something, some sort of reasonable explanation to comfort Kapo. I looked around the room absent-minded, trying to think of something. Perhaps Kapo's parents hadn't taken everything, maybe Kapo was wrong, maybe they would be coming back soon. Maybe there was some sort of gathering or celebration at a neighbor's house that we had forgotten about. Perhaps we would both be laughing about this later. I scanned the room, looking to see if any furniture or other belongings were missing. I noticed the clock was still left in place on the mantel. It was ticking, and the ticks began to get louder with each tick, taunting me. Suddenly, I realized the shutters were banging against the windows, and must have been for awhile, as the wind picked up outside. Rain was coming down in sheets, I could see the countryside of World's End swaying violently in the wind.

"Kapo...?" I said.

"What...?" Kapo asked, rubbing the side of his face with one hand in a forlorn manner. He looked absolutely miserable, and I couldn't stand that.

"Kapo, it's starting to storm really badly, look." I managed to blurt out. Kapo turned his head sharply to the window. Debris and other recognizable objects were swirling around through the air, and the wind was getting a little louder. I saw as well as heard the big water pail for the well-water, and chairs from the front porch, cartwheeling across the ground and then hit the side of the house.

"Well, I'll be-" He then turned his face to me. "Shyla, this is bad." He got to his feet.

"Not so very bad." I said, trying to stay optimistic.

"Well, it will be in a little bit. We're going to need to take cover, whatever sort of a storm this is, looks bad enough to tear a house down." He grabbed my hand.

I wriggled free. "I'll be right back!"

"Shyla!" He looked at me as I ran to the door. "Shyla, what in the world are you doing!" He shouted, running in front of the door to stop me.

"Hang on, I'll be right back, I have to get something, the book! My mother's book! I promise I'll be right back!" I said, pushing Kapo aside frantically, and darting out the door before he could say anything else. As soon as I got out the door, I thought I was going to blow away.

Thankfully the book was resting soundly on the table where I had left it when I was running around looking for Liana. I grabbed it and ran back to Kapo just as the storm hit. I was soaked, but I had no time to get a towel. Kapo grabbed my hand and we ran underneath a table. I was shaking terribly, I wasn't sure if it was because I was cold, or scared. Suddenly warmth surrounded me. Kapo had put his arm around me and pulled me closer to him. Although he avoided my face, I could tell this was his way of trying to keep me safe and warm. And with in all this chaos and destruction his hug made me smile.

The storm blew and beat loudly on the windows, hail fell for what felt like hours. I was beginning to wonder if the storm would ever stop.

I held mother book close to me and thought, 'would it ever be safe to come out again?'

It took about two hours for the storm to stop. It was only a peaceful drizzle now. Kapo and I came out from the shelter of under the table and we both slowly made our way outside to the muddy, wet ground. I stepped in a puddle and moaned. I scraped my foot on the ground, attempting to wipe off the mud, but I only made it worse. "Great! Just great." I said to myself.

"Shyla…" Kapo's voice shook as he spoke my name. I wonder what made him so scared, but when I looked up, I didn't need to ask. The rest of the houses had been destroyed. They were all chopped into bits and scattered around. They were no longer houses, just rubble. It was like they were put into a blender, eaten and then spat back out. I found it amazing how the only house that wasn't destroyed was the one Kapo and I were in. It stood untouched. It only had dents from the objects that hit the brick walls and some of the hay was missing from the roof, but besides that it was still standing.

"The storms are never this bad…" Kapo said.

Suddenly and idea came to me! "Kapo! Maybe that's it! The storm was REALLY bad, and everyone just recently found it out and they couldn't come and get us because they were running for safety!"

Kapo's eyes held hope for a moment, but it died. "Shyla…I don't think that's it…I think they've abandoned us…"

I shook my head. "No! They would never!"

But Kapo didn't agree, "Shyla, face it, they sent us away on purpose. They wanted us to come back, to be trapped in the storm…"

"This is crazy!" I yelled. "Your parents wouldn't do that! Liana wouldn't…" I stopped talking when I saw the seriousness of Kapo's face. He was utterly crushed on the inside; I could see it through his eyes. He was sinking down into a dark hole, crumbling into nothing. He was losing hope and what's worse is that he was denying that was any to begin with.

"Kapo…let's go to Kasa!" I blurted. He raised an eyebrow at me, "What?" "Let's go to Kasa!" I said again, pointing and the huge umbrella tower.

"No, Shyla. It doesn't exist." Kapo couldn't look me in the eyes.

"…What?" I said, feeling my heart ache.

"It doesn't exist Shyla! Your stupid mother was wrong! There is no paradise, no colors; she just made it all up! Such a place could never be real! I'm sick and tired of pretending there's hope!" Kapo took the picture book from me and throw it far away, where it landed in a puddle.

"NO!" I screamed, tears where coming down my face.

"There is no dream world Shyla. The only thing here is this nightmare." Kapo then turned his back to me and walked away.

I wanted to stop him. I wanted to find out what was causing him so much pain, that he had to lash out at me, but I was frozen. I was devastated. Did Kapo really not believe? Had he been pretending all this time? Did he just leave? Am I alone now…?

I wiped my tears away, but they kept coming. I stood and walked over to mothers book, picked it up and shook the water from off of it. I used my shirt as a towel to dry it off. The pages where wet and could rip easily.

I looked around for Kapo, but he was gone. So I grabbed an umbrella, a black one that had been blown around in the storm and left on the ground.

I picked it up and walked over to a stump and I sat there, waiting for Kapo to come back.

Because he was going to come back.

He always comes back.

And he did come back. It had been hours later, I was busy humming to myself, when his presence came near. When I looked up to him, he shyly looked the other way.

"I'm sorry…" He started off with an apology, "I'm…a coward Shyla…I'm scared…I didn't mean any of that stuff I said to you." He put his hand on my cheek. "And I'm terribly sorry that I made you cry." He gently drew his hand back. "Sorry, about the book too…is it okay?"

I nodded.

"…Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm okay. I forgive you, you where just afraid. I'm afraid too though, okay? So let's not suffer alone, but rather, together." I said, finding enough within me to smile.

He returned the look. "Yes. That sounds a lot better."

There was a brief pause. Kapo reached his hand out to me, "So, Shyla, will you run away with me?" He added a wink.

I giggled. That's just the way I always wanted him to ask, I knew deep down inside Kapo was only doing this for my sake. He'd never do something so cheesy, but the fact that he cared enough about me to put up with me made me happy.

I took his hand, and held onto mother's book.

And to Kasa…

We ran.


End file.
